Seats on large passenger vehicles frequently have headrests for the comfort of passengers as they travel. Passengers on such vehicles are often in their seats for long periods of time, and may even be there for several hours without standing. Some of these seats may move to a reclined or horizontal position, allowing the passenger to rest or sleep more easily. Typical headrests, however, do not support a passenger's head in a raised position while the seat is horizontal or in a reclined position. Having the headrest in a raised position while the seat is reclined would allow passengers to comfortably watch a movie or read while in a reclined or horizontal position. A headrest in this position may also improve a passenger's ability to sleep while traveling. Typical headrests also fail to provide support on the sides of the headrest. Support on the sides of the headrest would enable a passenger to turn his or her head to either side and rest it against a headrest to reduce strain on the neck and increase comfort.
Additionally, seats on airplanes are required by the National Aircraft Standard to provide at least 36½ inches of back support in all passenger seats. Headrests are often used to extend the height of the seat back to the required minimum while limiting the weight of the seat on airplanes. Making these headrests adjustable in height provides an additional feature to make passengers more comfortable on their journey. Headrests also serve as important safety features in airplanes for seats that face the tail of the airplane. Typical headrests are connected to the seat and do not adjust to accommodate the various positions of the seat or the various positions a passenger may adopt while sitting or reclining.
Typical headrests are also difficult to adjust or remove from the seat. People vary in height, and the height of a headrest may be comfortable for one person and uncomfortable for others. Many typical headrests do not allow for a change in the height of the headrest. Even on headrests that can be adjusted for height, locking the headrest in place once the desired height is obtained is often difficult, if not impossible. Typical headrests are also difficult to remove entirely from the seat as may be required to replace a headrest. Frequently, removing a headrest requires disassembly of subassemblies of the seat, including removing any upholstery. Removing headrests from the seats to either repair them or to replace them without having to replace the entire seat would be an advantage over current headrests.
Accordingly, a need exists for a headrest capable of supporting a person's head in any position, including having the headrest in a raised position to support the head while the seat is in a reclined position. A need also exists for a way to lock a headrest in place at a desired height and to remove the headrest from the seat.